Film House

London, W1F 8DD – September 2025

Years of weathering and pollution had dulled the Portland stone exterior of Film House. Styles Façade Solutions (formerly Thomann-Hanry®) facade cleaning services used the low-pressure, non-abrasive Façade Gommage cleaning process to complete this commercial façade cleaning project in just six days. By using specialist truck-mounted platforms, we avoided costly scaffolding and disruption.

This external façade cleaning method safely removed decades of grime across multiple substrates without damage. To support long-term results, we applied AquaFEND® F following the commercial building cleaning works.

Solutions provided

Façade Cleaning

Styles Façade Solutions (formerly Thomann-Hanry®) was commissioned to clean the Portland stone façade of Film House, 142 Wardour Street, London. The building's distinctive Art Deco corner elevation with heavy soiling and weathering clearly evident prior to the Façade Gommage cleaning process.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! CLEANING FILM HOUSE… TAKE ONE

In the heart of Soho, construction for what would become Film House, began in 1929 on the former site of the Faraday Electrical Works. This impressive Art Deco landmark soon became the beating heart of London’s ‘film row,’ By the late 1940s, over 100 film companies occupied the street, including Warner Brothers, the Rank Organisation, 20th Century Fox, and Hammer Productions.

Located at 142 Wardour Street, Film House served as the headquarters for the Associated-British Pathé film company and later housed the UK headquarters for Columbia Pictures and Universal Pictures. In later decades, when film production companies moved out of the area, the building became the headquarters for HMV Group plc. After HMV fell into administration in January 2013, the building was converted into a flexible work and office space.

In 2019, planning started on the redevelopment of Film House. After a protracted planning process, construction began on an inspired office and retail development, adding and updating floors. Styles Façade Solutions (formerly Thomann-Hanry®) was instructed to clean and perform essential repairs to the building’s historic Art Deco façade.

Styles Façade Solutions (formerly Thomann-Hanry®) mid-clean at Film House, 142 Wardour Street, London. A hydraulic boom lift positions an operative at upper storey level as the Façade Gommage process progressively transforms the Portland stone façade, with the majority of cleaning already visibly completed.

CLEANING FILM HOUSE… TAKE TWO

Years of building works, wet weather and urban pollution had taken their toll on the Portland stone façade. Using our low-pressure, non-abrasive façade gommage system, we effectively and meticulously cleaned the entire exterior in just six days.

By operating from our fleet of specialist truck-mounted platforms, we eliminated the need for intrusive, expensive and unsightly scaffolding. This speed and lack of disruption are precisely why our façade cleaning services have earned Styles Façade Solutions its reputation as the premier partner for historic and commercial property restoration.

Our low-pressure, water-free, chemical-free, aggregate-free cleaning solution offers a safe way to revive and refresh a building's façade without the risk of structural or material damage. The gentle cleaning process was the perfect solution to clean both the intricate details and surface across the different substrate types.

Styles Façade Solutions (formerly Thomann-Hanry®) dramatically transformed Film House, 142 Wardour Street, London, using the specialist scaffold-free Façade Gommage cleaning process. The Portland stone façade is restored to a bright, crisp cream tone, fully revealing the elegance of the building's distinctive Art Deco architecture.

CLEANING FILM HOUSE… THAT’S A WRAP!

Our team successfully peeled back decades of grime to reveal the original façade as envisioned by its architects nearly a century ago. To ensure the long-term protection of the building’s façade, we applied AquaFEND® F – a specialist treatment designed to reduce surface soiling and inhibit biofilm growth (organic growth such as algae or moss) from taking hold.

“Being able to help breathe new life into a building that was instrumental in building the UK’s multi-billion-pound film industry has been a privilege and a pleasure. The results our team delivered at Film House are impressive and further cement our position as leaders in the commercial and historic façade cleaning and restoration industry.”
Mark Styles, Managing Director of Styles Façade Solutions

See the links below for more examples of the results Styles Façade Solutions® (formerly Thomann-Hanry®) can deliver for your business.

Call our team TODAY on +44 (0) 20 8453 1494, alternatively use the contact us form for a FREE project quote or for more information on how Styles Façade Solutions® can help your commercial or heritage property.